Modified loom and method for incorporating wide strips in weaving processes

ABSTRACT

An improvement in a loom for weaving a cloth made of warp and weft threads is disclosed, the loom comprising thread feeder; a harness provided with a plurality of heddles; a shuttle adapted to weave the weft through the warp threads; a beater provided with reeds; wherein the heddles are adapted to move perpendicularly to the warp threads. The improvement for incorporating metal strips in between the warp threads comprising:  
     strip feeder for feeding the strips between said warp threads;  
     a plurality of modified heddles adapted to receive the strips from the strip feeder and carry the strips, the modified heddles are provided in the harness and positioned in a predetermined spacing among the plurality of heddles;  
     tensional apparatus adapted to provide tension to the strips prior to their weave;  
     wherein the reeds in the beater are spaced in a non uniform fashion defining at least one gap, wherein the gaps are positioned in accordance with the positioning of the strips between the warp threads;  
     whereby the strips are adapted to pass through the tensional apparatus and be released into the plurality of modified heddles in a predetermined tension in order to render uniformity to the cloth.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to weaving processes. More particularly, the present invention relates to modified loom for incorporating wide strips made of metal, plastic material or other type of strips in weaving process, method for waving an incorporated woven cloth and the woven cloth incorporated with wide strips thereof.

[0002] This application corresponds to a provisional patent application filed in Sep. 18, 2000, Ser. No. 60/233,605.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Cloths of fabric or textile are used for many different applications, hence, the requirements from woven cloths are different, from cloth having strength as a main characteristic, to cloth having waterproof characteristic, cloths that are electrically conductive, soft decorating fabrics and so forth. There is a need in many cases to introduce more than one type of thread in the weaving process of cloths in order to introduce a certain characteristic into the cloth or enhance a specific property. For example, in order to grant a cloth with fire resistance characteristics, one should introduce fire retardants into the cloth or in order to enhance the strength of a cloth, one should introduce a relatively strong component into the cloth.

[0004] Introduction of a characteristic such as electrical conductivity into a cloth may be obtained by coating methods as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,316,830 “Fabric Having Non-Uniform Electrical Conductivity” by Adams, Jr. et al, filed 1992. In this patent, the textile fabric is coated with an electrically conductive polymeric coating, and the coating is selectively removed in those areas in which a reduced electrical conductivity is desired. The removal may be achieved by means of high velocity water jets, sculpturing, or other means.

[0005] Certain materials may be welded into the fabric. An example is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,885,679 “Joining Structure for Waterproof Fabric” by Yasue et al., filed first in Japan in 1994. This patent discloses an improved joining structure for a waterproof fabric composed of a base fabric with a soft (elastomeric) resin film adhered thereon. The joining structure is formed in a weld seam in which a hot melt resin adhesive layer is interposed as a part of intermediate layers of the structure.

[0006] One of the problems arising from the above-mentioned methods is that after a while, the coating or the weld may start to desquamate so that the fabric loses partially or completely its unique characteristic.

[0007] One of the ways, which is very effective, to introduce an additional material into the cloth is to weave the additional material in the weaving process of the cloth. However, since in most of the cases, the additional material has different characteristics than the base fabric, the weaving process becomes problematic. An example for a problem that may be addressed in a complex combination of two materials is when the material that is required to be incorporated into the cloth is made of elastic fibers that are designated to render the cloth with elasticity. The tensions in which the ordinary threads and the fibers are fed into the loom have to be different if one desires to establish a uniform cloth. An engineering solution is to be encounter in order to establish the required uniform cloth. Similarly, other problems encountered from the need to introduce an additional and different thread to a cloth have to be addressed.

[0008] An example of wires introduced into a cloth in order to strengthen the material is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,549,958 “Composite Material for the Manufacture of Seats, Seat Backs and Like Objects Comprising a Differentially Woven Fabric of Warp Threads and Weft Wires” by Royaerts, filed in 1995. This patent discloses a composite material for the manufacture of seats, seat backs and like objects that receives a decorative fabric on one side while the other side cooperating with the frame or stuffing of the seat. The composite material is woven and includes a metal armature with warp threads and weft wires. The weft wires are steel rods bent to a shape having regular undulations and disposed so that the undulations are parallel and coplanar. The warp threads are interwoven with the rods, at least part of the armature being embedded in an elastomer. This method is compatible for thread-like wires that are thin enough so that they may be bent easily and form an armature only from one side of the fabric.

[0009] There are cases in which a specific material that is intended to be introduced in the fabric is in the shape of wide strips and the only way to maintain material's effectiveness, efficiency and properties for a specific use is to keep its shape. In these cases, an engineering problem of how to introduce the wide strips into a cloth is encountered. An example for a certain application in which wide strips of a hard alloy are presented and are desired to be incorporated into cloth of fabric, can be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,641,421 “Amorphous Metallic Alloy Electrical Heater Systems” by Manov et al., filed in 1996. This patent discloses an electrical heating system that uses heating elements made of ribbons of amorphous metallic alloys. The heating elements have a large surface area when they are used as long and wide ribbons. Using this specific shape, good heat transfer to the surroundings is achieved while maintaining low thermal resistance. The thin ribbons with low thermal resistance also have a fast heating constant, that is—the heater reaches its steady state temperature in a short time. As mentioned herein above, the introduction of such ribbons into a weaving process brings about many engineering difficulties. Yet, the combination of the wide alloy strips into a cloth brings about many applications that were impossible or were inefficient, e.g., incorporating metal strips in concrete castings for achieving conductance, production of underflooring sheets as a heating system and many more.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] It is an object of the present invention to provide a new loom that allows the incorporation of wide strips of metal, plastic or other material in the weaving process of a cloth.

[0011] It is anther object of the present invention to provide a new and unique engineering method that allows incorporating wide strips of metal, plastic or other material in a weaving process in order to obtain a composite woven cloth containing wide strips.

[0012] It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a new and unique weaving method that allows incorporating wide strips in a modified loom and produce a resulting composite cloth that may be used in a large number of applications depending on the characteristics of the strips. Examples for such applications are heating, producing a magnetic field, conducting, isolating etc.

[0013] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and unique weaving method that allows the incorporation of wide strips in order to provide a woven cloth having mechanical strength, maximum stability, uniform surface, as well as the specific characteristic rendered to the cloth by the incorporates strips.

[0014] Yet, it is another object of the present invention to provide a new and unique weaving method that allows the incorporation of wide strips while controlling the distance between the strips, the density of the woven cloth and the production of large sheets. Such control over the weaving process allows the use of different weave densities in order to maintain different properties to the cloth such as mechanical strength, flexibility, free areas to allow the passage of material through the cloth, chemical properties such as flame retardency, color and more.

[0015] It is an object of the present invention to provide a cloth incorporated with wide strips of metallic material, plastic material or any other material and produced by a weaving method in a modified loom.

[0016] It is thus provided in a loom for weaving a cloth made of warp and weft threads, said loom comprising: thread feed means for feeding said warp threads; a harness provided with a plurality of heddles, said heddles adapted to receive the warp threads from said thread feed means and carry the warp threads; a shuttle adapted to weave the weft through the warp threads; a beater provided with reeds, said beater is adapted to push said weft threads towards the cloth; wherein said heddles are adapted to move perpendicularly to said warp threads;

[0017] the improvement for incorporating metal strips in between the warp threads comprising:

[0018] strip feed means for feeding the strips between said warp threads;

[0019] a plurality of modified heddles adapted to receive the strips from said strip feed means and carry the strips, said modified heddles are provided in said harness and positioned in a predetermined spacing among said plurality of heddles;

[0020] tensional means adapted to provide tension to the strips prior to their weave;

[0021] wherein the reeds in the beater are spaced non uniformly defining at least one gap, wherein the gaps are positioned in accordance with the positioning of the strips between the warp threads;

[0022] whereby the strips are adapted to pass through said tensional means and be released into said plurality of modified heddles in a predetermined tension in order to render uniformity to the cloth.

[0023] Furthermore, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, said strip feed means is at least one roller.

[0024] Furthermore, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, each of said plurality of heddles comprises a central dilated portion, said central dilated portion provided with a slot.

[0025] Furthermore, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the length of said slot is slightly longer than the width of the strip and said slot is adapted to freely accommodate the strip.

[0026] Furthermore, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, said plurality of modified heddles are distributed regularly between said heddles.

[0027] Furthermore, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, said tensional means comprises at least two opposite surfaces between which the strip may pass.

[0028] Furthermore, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein at least one screw maintains the two opposite surfaces close together.

[0029] Furthermore, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, a fabric covers each of said two opposite surfaces.

[0030] Furthermore, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the length of said at least one gap is slightly wider than the width of the strip that passes through the corresponding gap.

[0031] Furthermore, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, said loom is provided with a halting means.

[0032] Furthermore, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, said halting means is an electrical means.

[0033] Furthermore, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, said electrical means comprises switches that closes an electrical circuitry as a repsonce to a tear or the end of a thread or a strip.

[0034] It is thus provided a method for incorporating metal strips in the weaving process of a cloth made of warp and weft threads, said method comprising:

[0035] providing a loom, said loom comprising: thread feed means for feeding said warp threads, a harness provided with a plurality of heddles, said heddles adapted to receive the warp threads from said thread feed means and carry the warp threads; a shuttle adapted to weave the weft through the warp threads; a beater provided with reeds, said beater is adapted to push said weft threads towards the cloth; wherein said heddles are adapted to move perpendicularly to said warp threads;

[0036] providing strip feed means for feeding the strips between said warp threads;

[0037] providing a plurality of modified heddles adapted to receive the strips from said strip feed means and carry the strips;

[0038] positioning said modified heddles in said harness, in a predetermined spacing among said plurality of heddles;

[0039] providing a tensional means adapted to provide tension to the strips prior to their weave;

[0040] providing gaps between the reeds of said beater.

[0041] Furthermore, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, said method further comprising providing halting means.

[0042] Furthermore, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, said halting means is an electrical means.

[0043] It is thus provided a cloth obtainable by the method of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0044]FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of a warp loom in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0045]FIG. 2 illustrates a heddle in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, integrated in the loom shown in FIG. 1.

[0046]FIG. 3 illustrates a portion of a woven cloth incorporated with wide strips produced by a modified loom in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION AND THE FIGURES

[0047] The present invention provides a new and unique loom that allows the incorporation of wide strips of metal, plastic or other material to a woven cloth. The incorporation of strips into a woven cloth renders the cloth with properties of the strips. For example, the incorporation of wide conductive strips renders the cloth with conductivity properties, incorporation of wide elastic strips to the cloth may render elasticity, incorporation of wide strips made from a hard material to the cloth may render strength and so forth.

[0048] In order to incorporate wide strips to a woven cloth, modification of a warp loom are performed. Reference is now made to FIG. 1, illustrating a side view of a warp loom in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. There are a few major modifications that are established in warp loom 10. The wide strips are fed in the warp using constructed rollers 12 suspended on the loom's frame 13 where the regular warp is fed. Wide strips 14 that are rolled on rollers 12 are fed in between the regular warp in a predetermined spacing. The number of rollers is determined by the requirements from the resulting cloth. It is possible to suspend as much rollers as needed in order to achieve a certain goal.

[0049] The regular threads of the warp are fed to the loom from the warp roller in a certain tension adapted to the properties of the specific threads. The wide strips, on the other hand, which are fed into the warp from constructed rollers 12, have to be fed in a certain tension that is most probably different from the tension in which the regular warp is fed, and have to be flattened before they enter the warp in order to maintain a uniform and regular cloth. A tensional means 18 is provided to loom 10. Tensional means 18 is positioned between constructed rollers 12 and the regulated warp and comprises two opposite surfaces 20. Wide strips 12 pass between two opposite surfaces 20 before it they are fed into the warp while maintaining a certain tension. Moreover, since the strips are wide, it is possible that they will bend laterally before they are arranged in the warp. The passage between opposite surfaces 20 flattens strips 14 so that they are flat-fed into the warp and maintain a uniform resulting cloth. Opposite surfaces 20 are covered with a soft and smooth textile in order to protect the strips passing between them. Two opposite surfaces 20 are held together by screw 21 that is adapted to modify the distance between the surfaces in order to obtain different tension to different strips respective to the type and characteristics of the strips. Screw 21 allows the adjustment of tensional means 18 to the type of strips.

[0050] The regulated warp is threaded through heddles 30. Warp loom 10 is provided with two types of heddles, modified heddles and ordinary heddles. Modified heddles designed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention are positioned in a predetermined spacing between the ordinary heddles of loom 10. Modified heddles allow the strips to become a part of the warp besides any other type of narrow threads. Modified Heddles are of substantially the same length as the ordinary heddles while both types of heddles, ordinary and modified, are integrated in the same harness 32.

[0051] Reference is now made to FIG. 2 illustrating a heddle in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, integrated in the loom shown in FIG. 1. The central portion of modified heddle 50 is a dilated portion 52. The central portion of an ordinary heddle is provided with an eye that is positioned substantially in the middle of the heddle. The ordinary thread is threaded through the eye. Dilated portion 52 is provided with a slot 56 designated to act as the eye of the ordinary heddle through which the wide strip may be threaded. Slot 56 is narrow yet broad enough so that the wide strip to be threaded through the slot may pass comfortably and be a part of the warp. From both sides of dilated portion 52, two arms 54 are extended. Both arms 54 are essentially the same as the arms of an ordinary heddle. At both ends of two arms 54, ordinary means for attaching the heddle to a harness are provided (not shown in FIG. 2).

[0052] Returning to FIG. 1 that illustrates the warp loom in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, warp loom 10 is provided with a beater 22. The beater is designated to push the weft towards the woven cloth in a predetermined force after the weft has been provided by a shuttle. It is important that the warp threads will be separated from one another by the beater's reeds (the reeds can not be seen in FIG. 1) so that a uniform cloth will be wove. The reeds in accordance with the loom of the present invention are not uniformly spaced. It is noted that in a ordinary warp loom, the reeds are spaced uniformly since the fed warp is uniform. The beater of the present invention is provided with reeds spaced in accordance with the fed threads and the fed strips. In portions where the warp contains ordinary threads, the reeds are spaced in an ordinary manner compatible to the threads, but in portions where a strip is fed, there is a gap through which the strip may pass. The gap is substantially of the same width as the strip. The gaps are regulated in accordance with the regulation of the strips. When the resulting cloth 24 is woven, it outgoes from the loom's frame towards a housing 26, upon which the resulting cloth 28 is rolled and ready.

[0053] Ordinary industrial warp loom are provided with a halting mechanism that automatically stops the weaving process when a thread is torn or ends. An available mechanism that halts the weaving process is an electrical mechanism. A metal fork is suspended on each of the threads comprising the warp. Beneath the forks, a metal rod is positioned. If the warp is faultless, there is no contact between the forks and the rod. It a thread is torn, the fork that acts similarly to an electrical switch drops on the metal rod and halt the loom. In the loom of the present invention, it is optional to provide special switches that suspend on the wide strips that prevent any contact between the switches and the metal rod. Similarly to the conventional industrial loom, when the strip ends, the switch drops upon the rod causing the loom to halt. Another option is to provide a stopping device that is positioned on the constructed roller and indicates when the wide strip ends. In the same manner, the stopping device may be positioned on the tensional means, between the surfaces.

[0054] Reference is now made to FIG. 3, illustrating a portion of a woven cloth incorporated with wide strips produced by a modified loom in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Ordinary warp threads 100 are woven in the regular manner using regular heddles as explained herein before. Warp threads 100 may be made of any material in accordance with the cloth requirements that are determined by the application. They may be made of a polymeric material such as polyethylene, polypropylene or any combination between them, or may be made of a textile material. Wide strips 102 are incorporated between warp threads 100 in a predetermined distance from one another. In the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 3, there are four ordinary warp threads between each of two consequent wide strips. However, this is only an example of an embodiment and the spacing of the wide strips in a cloth of the present invention may be constant, regular or random. The spacing of the ordinary warp threads is changeable according to the application of the cloth, the required strength of the cloth and more. Wide strips 102 are ordered by heddles such as the heddle shown in FIG. 2. It is important to adjust the heddle to the specific strip that is being incorporated in the cloth.

[0055] Perpendicular to warp threads 100 and warp wide strips 102 are weft threads 104. Weft threads 104 are woven in a regular manner while each one of wide strips 102 is considered as a regular warp thread. A regular order of the weft is kept by the heddles, no matter if the heddle is an ordinary one or a modified one. The distance between consequent weft threads is kept by the beater, which has reeds spaced in accordance to the nature of the woven cloth. As an example, a beater that is used in order to manufacture the cloth shown in FIG. 3 is provided with groups of five consequent reeds between which ordinary warp threads 100 pass and gaps between the groups, through which wide strips 102 pass. The gaps are slightly wider than the strips.

[0056] As shown herein above, simple modifications of a regular industrial loom solve the engineering problems encountered from the requirement of incorporating wide strips of any type of material into a cloth so that to obtain a uniform surface. The use of the modified loom of the present invention enables combination of wide strips in a woven cloth in a controlled manner while obtaining a cloth having various physical properties such as strength, flexibility, penetrability of materials through the cloth, or having various chemical properties such as resistance to high temperatures, flame retardancy, colors etc.

[0057] The ability to produce a cloth having incorporated wide strips brings about a vast of new and unique applications. In the case the strips that are made of an alloy or a metal, the incorporation of the strips to the cloth establishes a conducting cloth that may be used as underflooring sheets for a heating system or heating sheets to be used underneath a road in order to prevent the formation of ice film on a road or a court such as tennis court (required especially in airports in cold countries). Wide strips of metal or strong plastic material may be incorporated in a cloth for the manufacturing of underlies for wall-to-wall carpets or for any other application in which the addition of strength to the cloth is important. Magnetic strips may be introduced in cloth were magnetism is required. In general, the incorporation of wide strips into a cloth produces a cloth having properties that are rendered by the incorporated strip.

[0058] It should be clear that the description of the embodiments and attached Figures set forth in this specification serves only for a better understanding of the invention, without limiting its scope as covered by the following claims.

[0059] It should also be clear that a person skilled in the art, after reading the present specification could make adjustments or amendments to the attached Figures and above described embodiments that would still be covered by the scope of the present invention. 

1. In a loom for weaving a cloth made of warp and weft threads, said loom comprising: thread feed means for feeding said warp threads; a harness provided with a plurality of heddles, said heddles adapted to receive the warp threads from said thread feed means and carry the warp threads; a shuttle adapted to weave the weft through the warp threads; a beater provided with reeds, said beater is adapted to push said weft threads towards the cloth; wherein said heddles are adapted to move perpendicularly to said warp threads; the improvement for incorporating metal strips in between the warp threads comprising: strip feed means for feeding the strips between said warp threads; a plurality of modified heddles adapted to receive the strips from said strip feed means and carry the strips, said modified heddles are provided in said harness and positioned in a predetermined spacing among said plurality of heddles; tensional means adapted to provide tension to the strips prior to their weave; wherein the reeds in the beater are spaced non uniformly defining at least one gap, wherein the gaps are positioned in accordance with the positioning of the strips between the warp threads; whereby the strips are adapted to pass through said tensional means and be released into said plurality of modified heddles in a predetermined tension in order to render uniformity to the cloth.
 2. The loom of claim 1, wherein said strip feed means is at least one roller.
 3. The loom of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of heddles comprises a central dilated portion, said central dilated portion provided with a slot.
 4. The loom of claim 3, wherein the length of said slot is slightly longer than the width of the strip and said slot is adapted to freely accommodate the strip.
 5. The loom of claim 1, wherein said plurality of modified heddles are distributed regularly between said heddles.
 6. The loom of claim 1, wherein said tensional means comprises at least two opposite surfaces between which the strip may pass.
 7. The loom of claim 6, wherein at least one screw maintains the two opposite surfaces close together.
 8. The loom as claimed in claim 6, wherein a fabric covers each of said two opposite surfaces.
 9. The loom as claimed in claim 1, wherein the length of said at least one gap is slightly wider than the width of the strip that passes through the corresponding gap.
 10. The loom as claimed in claim 1, wherein said loom is provided with a halting means.
 11. The loom as claimed in claim 10, wherein said halting means is an electrical means.
 12. The loom as claimed in claim 11, wherein said electrical means comprises switches that closes an electrical circuitry as a response to a tear or the end of a thread or a strip.
 13. A method for incorporating metal strips in the weaving process of a cloth made of warp and weft threads, said method comprising: providing a loom, said loom comprising: thread feed means for feeding said warp threads; a harness provided with a plurality of heddles, said heddles adapted to receive the warp threads from said thread feed means and carry the warp threads; a shuttle adapted to weave the weft through the warp threads; a beater provided with reeds, said beater is adapted to push said weft threads towards the cloth; wherein said heddles are adapted to move perpendicularly to said warp threads; providing strip feed means for feeding the strips between said warp threads; providing a plurality of modified heddles adapted to receive the strips from said strip feed means and carry the strips; positioning said modified heddles in said harness, in a predetermined spacing among said plurality of heddles; providing a tensional means adapted to provide tension to the strips prior to their weave; providing gaps between the reeds of said beater.
 14. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said method further comprising providing halting means.
 15. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein said halting means is an electrical means.
 16. Cloth obtainable by the method of any one of claims 13-15. 